Your memories of Webley Edwards and Hawaii Calls

Ron Whitfield · From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA

This thread can serve a dual purpose, as forum fun, but also as a conduit to a fella, Allen Roy, who is attempting to compile stories, facts, anything interesting about the show, it's peoples, listener/witness recollections, and photos/memorabilia for an up-coming book project he's become inspired to do. Which sounds to me to be a very worthwhile endeavour, as no one has yet done anything similar about this historic show.

Most of the performers are now gone, so you can help make this book a real success if you were fortunate enough to have been there or heard it.

If this thread proves worthy, I'll submit it to him, and you can contact him direct as well at - allenroyboy@aol.com
But for the forum's sake, let's post up some winners.

c c johnson · From: killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.

Well I thought that someone would put some good stuff on this subject instead of my ramblings but here gos. My dad was a tech rep at Pearl and about three months before the attack he sent my mother and me home. While I was there I pestered the heck out of David Kelii whenever I had a chance to see him about steel but all he wanted to talk about was boxing.. He was known as Kid Kelii and was a pretty good boxer. Correction. That was Kid Kelly. David lived in or near Kaneohe and had to come in to Honolulu for rehearsals etc, and if my memory serves me Web paid David $5 for each trip. cc

Duane Becker · From: Elk,Wa 99009 USA

You can sign me up to buy the book!! I love Webley Edwards and Hawaii Calls. Some of my favorite steel players and that rhythm section that they had was the best too...it had a rockin' beat.
You know there is a website that has some old Hawaii Calls Shows that you can down load.
http://www.hawaiian-music.com/radio/index.html

I've got all the lp's plus most all of the post cards and a souvenir radio time table for one of the shows that's signed by Webley. If you would like to have a copy of anything I've got- you got it free of charge.

I could be wrong, but was it not Webley that yelled into a broadcast mic saying that Pearl was being bombed?

billchav · From: Houston, TX USA

Listening to the music from Hawaii on my dad's short-wave radio in the late 1930's has led to a lifetime enjoyment of trying to play the steel guitar as was done by the great players of that era in Hawaii, but Herb R. keeps reminding me that I was too lazy to practice. I still try to tab an easy version of any Hawaiian/Polynesian music I find.
_________________
"Keepin' the steelin' going strong"

www.billchaviers.com

Steel Guitar Tabs

Bill Creller · From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)

I always remember that they had a mike down by the water, so folks around the world could hear the surf for a few seconds, and then a steel guitar would start...... and (if I recall correctly) "aloha from Hawaii this fine day" That sound familiar?
Also I remember Haleloki from those days as well as Alfred Apaka, and I believe "the singing surf riders" or some name like that. David Keli'i was mentioned frequently also.
That show was on Sunday evenings around here, on the Mutual Network.

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

Those shows sowed the seed of my lifetime of wanting to visit Hawaii. The sound of the surf, those teasing weather reports.....Temp 87 degrees and the water 85 degrees, or something like that. I was hooked.
Yes, the musicians and the happy lilt of all their songs never left me. It 'seemed' like everyone was having a wonderful time.
The uneven sounds of the steel guitar drifting
across the air waves was really attractive.
Finally, in 2005, my wish came true and I got to visit this beautiful place. As I stepped off the plane....is was as if I'd been there a thousand times before. And there was Ron Whitfield with much Aloha for my wife and I. How nice it was of him.

Ron Whitfield · From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA

Ray, you probably know this as well as anyone, but Jerry Byrd was hooked on listening to HC and David Kelii every weekend, and he'd be desperately wanting to catch every lick David would play, and as it was in those days the sounds would fade in and out, and Jerry said their transmittion would always go weak just as David would have his solo spot and come back as soon as he was finished. He said it drove him nuts. I'm sure those of us who grew up before digital can relate.

I've also heard that at some point, Webley decided to stop telling the mainland audience of the fine weather temps, feeling they may get PO'd about having to live in chilly climates. But they soon got many complaints, because they, as you, loved hearing about it. So, he resumed it.

Ray, it's always nice to hear that you and Sal enjoyed you brief time here, and I hope it's not long before you make it back, along with your steel!

Bill Creller · From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)

I believe Webley also frequently mentioned the big Banyan tree at the Moana when they used that stage.

Ron Whitfield · From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA

But I doubt he ever mentioned the 'surprises' from the birds sitting above in said banyan tree...

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

here's a past thread which may be of interest......

http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum2/HTML/006134.html

Bill Creller · From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)

Nothing like a drink spiked by bird doodoo Very Happy

Allen Roy · From: Montana, USA

I just discovered this older thread about Webley Edwards. I appreciate what everyone has said. I'd like to talk or email any one of you whod like to talk about Webley Edwards and Hawaii Calls.

Allen Roy

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

As an aftertho't....... Edwards would name the upcoming performer and explain in detail what their name meant..... He'd announce the title of a song and only in HIS unique WAY, he'd mention where it was located on the island and give detailed descriptions of the place, etc.

He'd mention 'the dancers' and would decribe in detail the colors of their costumes and what they were made of. He'd expand on the dance and what it meant in Hawaiian culture.

To ME, Edwards WAS HAWAII!!!! He is the single rep. that motivated me to visit Oahu in 2005 or thereabouts. I had not yet identified with JERRY BYRD. For decades I had longed to visit there and jumped at the chance to do so. I've never regretted the opportunity to do so.

WHen the steel guitars in the band would begin to play, he'd describe WHO was playing, on their Magnatone steel guitars or whatever. What an ambassador for such a beautiful place. When they chose to cancel that single program, I feel, they cut off the beautiful, multi-colored FLOWER that had been there for all those years for everyone to enjoy.

Progress is NOT ALWAYS BEST!

Ron Whitfield · From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA

...and from that time on, the State of Hawaii has been superb in blowing it every way possible instead of trying to continue the great traditions that helped make the islands so special in the pre/post WW2 era. And then they wonder why the tourism rate isn't what it once was...

George Keoki Lake · From: Edmonton, AB., Canada

I grew up to the sounds of short wave radio floating in and out...kinda added to the mystique of "Hawai'i Calls". I even had a home disc cutting machine and recorded one show on about 5 or 6 discs spinning at 78rpm, (now long ago worn out), at a time when Alfred was singing and David...wow! I had never heard of Jerry Byrd in those days. I also never dreamed for a moment that I would ever meet Webley Edwards ! However in 1970, my wife and I were seated at the Banyan .... I was totally wide-eyed watching all my heros on stage. Unknown to my wife and I, Tony Todero was scanning the crowd seeking out "Mr. and Mrs. Hawai'i" and he came down to escort us to the stage! I almost died on the spot. Webley interviewed me, I informed him of my keen interest in Hawaiian music, he stated he would send me some charts from the show, (but never did), and then he signed an lp for us which I still have, and of course, the 3 of us posed for pictures. Tony then escorted us back to our seats. I had no idea who Tony was at the time, wish I did as I would have loved to talk with him. For those of you who have never heard his name, Tony wrote so many of Hawai'i's greatest songs in collaboration with Mary Johnston..."Keep Your Eyes on the Hands", "There's No Place Like Hawai'i", "Dance the Hula in the Moonlight" are but 3 of some 20+ songs he composed. Probably one of his greater achievements was the compiliation he did putting together the book, "THE GOLDEN YEARS OF HAWAIIAN ENTERTAINMENT 1874-1974" which is now a collector's item. It was Tony's intention to publish a follow-up to this book, however he died suddenly in July of 1976. My friend Keith Haugen knew Tony well. The strange part of my story, I never got the opportunity to meet Barney Isaacs as he left the stage rather quickly after the show...I finally met and befriended Barney many years later. It was also in 1970, we were on a 'moonlight dinner cruise' when I chatted with a distinguished gentleman whose name I have long forgotten. It was a rather interesting conversation. It seems he was involved in Hawaiian politics and felt the money being spent to keep Hawai'i Calls on the air was a complete waste of money ! That really ticked me off ! But it does confirm what Ron Whitfield suggested in his thread. Webley died one year after Tony, Oct. 5th, 1977 and though others endeavoured to carry the show on, (or copy the format for many years), "Hawai'i Calls" really died when Webley died. Though many tried, it was never quite the same.

Allen Roy · From: Montana, USA

Tony Todaro was an interesting character. According to his sons he NEVER missed a HC program. Though, curiously, he never took his sons with him. Nina Kealihiwahumana said he was always there promoting his songs to Web. He came to Hawaii during WWII as a civilian labor machinist at Pearl Harbor. He never left. After the war he made his living selling those steel street name signs ubiquitous on street corners. The lady he wrote songs with for years, got married and moved to the mainland. I don't think Tony wrote another song after that.

Tony's book is an absolute must for anyone interested in Hawaii Calls. It has photos and bios of every major musician, dancer, writer in Hawaii from late 1800 up to the 1970s. Plus a lot of unique and important group photos and song lists....

Hawaii Calls suffered seriously when Webley Edwards suffered a stroke in 1972, He was never on the air again. Within a year, the Chamber of Commerce stopped funding the program. The owner of the very large Parker Ranch on the Big Island stepped in try to keep the program on the air. He bought the program from Webley for a tidy sum. Which surprised Webley. Web was able to sell his home in Kahala and move to the penthouse of the brand new condominium tower at the Kahala mall with a commanding view of Diamond Head, Waikiki and Honolulu.

However the program was never the same after Web had to quit. I believe that they tried valiantly to preserve it, but with out funding and Web's talent, it lost favor. And, with the rise of TV in the 60s and 70s, and radio changing its format to fit a new reality, programs like HC simply didn't fit in. Sad

In the mid 60's they tried to convert the program to TV, but it didn't take. Then again in the early 70s another attempt was made to break into TV, but that didn't work either. I don't know the full reasons why yet. But I've seen one of the 60's programs and observed that the music was all canned, the performers lip synced and acted very badly. There was NO resemblance to the radio program that everyone was in love with.

The program went off the air in 75 being broadcast on less than 10 stations across the world, Web died in 77.

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